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IAN BUSBY, QMI Agency

CALGARY - While teammates were taking care of business in Calgary, Marc Calixte was busy being a caregiver in Montreal.

And the entire time the veteran Calgary Stampeders linebacker was at home with his two children and his wife’s younger brothers, he was worried about losing ground on the competition.

Even though this is Calixte’s ninth CFL season — all with Calgary after being drafted in 2003 — being absent for four days of training camp wasn’t his plan.

But with his wife working, it was up to Calixte to play homemaker to the four kids under age nine before they could arrange some help.

“It was hard work,” Calixte said. “With kids, you have to watch what you say and be on your top game every day. You don’t get to slack off and lean back.

“You need to watch them and make sure your behaviour is proper so they emulate the good stuff not the bad stuff. The cooking, the cleaning and entertaining … I was real busy.”

Calixte missed a portion of 2010 training camp as well but for an entirely different reason. He came in with a bit of a knee problem but he eventually worked through it.

This year, he’s completely healthy and ready to be the special-teams force he’s been throughout his career.

“I still love the game,” Calixte said. “I still have the hunger. Of course, last year’s disappointment of being the best team in the league and faltering in the playoffs still hurts.It’s still in there. That helps in the drive as well to make this year a much better year.”

While the rest of the Stamps are worn down through five days of practices, plus rookie camp, the 32-year-old has fresh legs.

So he did more than his share of work Thursday with Malik Jackson still out with a minor injury.

“Going through all that with the kids, getting about four hours of sleep a night, I feel like I’m on a vacation right now,” Calixte said.

“I’m running around doing what I love and I can get full nights of sleep. Make sure my wife doesn’t read this.”

Extra points

Stamps R Nik Lewis (groin) returned to the late practice session Thursday and looks back to full speed … LB Scorpio Babers was released … The team signed DB Courtney Robinson, who was on Saskatchewan’s practice roster to end last season … Import DB Darrick Brown, who had a brief tryout with Edmonton, has been added to the roster … Dinos OL Quinn McCaughan was added to the roster with Dimitri Tsoumpas, Jon Gott and Junius Coston all missing action.